The National Ice Centre (NIC) is located in Nottingham, England. It is the first twin Olympic-sized ice rink in the UK. Located just east of the city centre, close to the historic Lace Market area, the facility includes the Nottingham Arena (since 2011 re-branded as the Capital FM Arena Nottingham).

The first rink and the arena were opened on 1 April 2000 by Olympic Gold Medalist, Jayne Torvill. The second Olympic Rink opened the following year, on 7 April 2001.[1]

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The National Ice Centre was constructed on the site of the former Nottingham Ice Stadium, which opened in 1939 and was showing its age. Plans to replace the stadium were first announced in September 1995. The estimated cost of replacement was £13 million, part of which was to come from National Lottery funds. The plans were unveiled in October 1996, by which time the British Olympic Association had got behind the proposal.

Several buildings were demolished to make way for the new ice centre; This included an Art Deco warehouse and "The Old Cricket Players" pub, which was initially planned to be spared. The former Ice Stadium closed in March 2000, and by May 2000 was described as "nearly demolished", with four skip loads of demolition rubble being removed from the site every day.[2][3] This had been the former training ground for Olympicice dancing champions Torvill and Dean (Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean). The square in front of the new building was named 'Bolero Square' to honour their achievements.

During excavation for the new building in July 1998 a rare 1,100 year old Saxon jug was found, which is on display at the Nottingham Castle Museum. A 19th-century graveyard was also found under the car park, from which the bodies were then exhumed.

The centre was officially opened on 1 April 2000 by Olympic Gold Medalist, Jayne Torvill; with the first public skating sessions taking place the same month. The second phase of the project – the family rink – was scheduled to be completed by May–June 2001, but opened early on 7 April 2001.[4][1] The final cost of the project was £43million,[1] 10% of which came from the lottery – one of the highest grants awarded.

HM The Queen visited the National Ice Centre and Nottingham Arena on 31 July 2002.[5]

The arena is home to the Nottingham Panthersice hockey team. Founded in 1946, it was disbanded in 1960 and reformed 20 years later. The team have won eight out of twelve cup finals since 1994, and won three out of nine play-off finals.[8] The Ice Centre is also the base for the GB Short Track Speed Skating Squad.